Next Image
by CataclysmicReality
Summary: Harry's eldest son James is entering into his final year of Hogwarts, but his plans have little to do with schooling than what he and his group are working on. However, when a mysterious new Dark group emerges, will he and his group be able to stop them?


Prologue:

After the peaceful passage of twenty-four years, much of the wizard world was enjoying the times of peace that had followed in the wake of the Dark Years. Voldemort's rise to power, his first reign, temporary defeat, then his return and his second reign, before his complete defeat was something of a legend already. Few within Hogwarts knew nothing shy of the full range of details surrounding everything that had transpired through the years Harry Potter was in school. His fame that was so prevalent during his youth had overflowed such that his return anywhere into the magical world was one simply overwhelming, to say the least.

However, return he did, and taking on his first challenge along with Ron and Neville, helped Kingsley rebuild the Ministry from the inside. Only until everything had settled within his Auror department, did Ron move on to help his brother George, and Neville go on towards teaching at Hogwarts. It was a very turbulent span of years, but at least it was one that radiated hope.

After things were a bit more settled and the new laws and legislation had been issued, only then did Harry and Ginevra (Ginny) start their family. And what a family it had become, with their three children (James, Albus, Lily) and nine nieces and nephews (Victorie, Dominique, Louis, Molly, Lucy, Fred, Roxanne, Rose, and Hugo). With so many in-laws and blood ties there was a definite difference to his growing up years!

At Hogwarts, all three of his children managed to get selected as Gryffindors and not as any of the other houses, most likely because it was more of a blood legacy than anything else. For the most part they were better behaved than he had been, but not too surprisingly, none had made the cut for prefect. Now with his eldest, James, moving into his final year at school, there was much to think about for the future. With so much right happening all around them, it seemed like nothing could ever go wrong.

Next 01: **Significant Summer**

It was just another day on a particularly plain weekend with just the right temperature that Harry was pouring over several articles in his latest issue of the Daily Prophet. It wasn't exactly news that was worthy of reading, just that various acts had reached a level of finalization regarding wizard law. As such occurrences were common place in the revised Ministry of Magic; there wasn't any great significance about it.

The latest law carried some amendments to the prior 'Muggle Integration and Coexistence Protocol' that simply gave the run down on what people should and should not do in order to get along. It wasn't really anything different from what other Wizarding children had grown up with when he was a kid, but there seemed to be a certain emphasis of conduct on those living within close proximity to Muggles. In particular, drawing less attention by forgoing the Owl Post in favor of other means of communication – which because of this, meant learning to use standard Muggle mail, telephones, and – albeit the magical community of older Wizards frowned on this most of all – computers.

Times had indeed changed for those of the younger generations, and even though Harry and his family were on the border of all that, he himself felt very hesitant towards learning anything more than how to 1) Turn it on, and 2) how to not destroy it outright through magical corruption. As part of the Muggles Studies subject at Hogwarts, it appeared as though learning about part of this was just to prepare them – just in case. He believed there was a rather knowledgeable Squib that co-taught it.

It wasn't completely bad, but it was something of a sore subject among many of the aging generations. Fortunately for those of the very young, they were growing into that new generation, technology and the various toys associated with it were very good at discouraging underage sorcery until they were of the age of acceptability. It should be noted at this point that Mr. Weasley was overjoyed by just the thought of it all. But there was more to it than its surface practicality. In fact, it was a necessary precaution.

Not many years after the resurrection of the Ministry, did a new dark group attempt to sabotage the Wizarding world by using Muggle means of spreading the knowledge out into the greater world. Because there were few among Harry's Auror group that had any experience with the machines and devices, they were hard pressed to correct things before too much information was released. Thankfully it was corrected in time, but the group responsible was never caught.

Certainly, there were many more bad groups and schemes, but nothing as bad as the dark years. All in all, it was pretty peaceful.

There was a knock at the door and he put down his paper, prepared to get up, when the door opened of its own accord, a tall man in his twenties with short, bright orange hair entering.

"Ah, good afternoon, Ted. What brings you about?" Harry asked pleasantly. "It's a bit early for dinner, but you're welcome to stay as always." He said pleasantly as he raised and moved forward to greet his godson properly.

"Actually, not tonight," he said with a warm smile. "I'll be eating with Victoire at her parents' house. But she was the reason I came over." He took a small object from his pocket that looked like something that Harry's thoughts had been on earlier.

"What's that?"

Teddy Lupin shrugged. "It's something Victoire wanted me to pass on to James. Something he asked her about, perhaps?"

"James?" Harry said in thought. "What's he up to now?"

"Ah—! Is that—?"

A new voice found its way into the conversation as a young girl of fourteen made an appearance at the top of the stairs that overlooked the entrance way. She looked a lot like Ginny in her younger years, with her fiery red hair, but also a bit like her Grandmother whose name she bore. Without displaying any hesitation, she slid down the banister (which shook and wobbled on verge of breaking – to Harry's dismay) and landed besides them, quickly seizing the small trinket from Teddy's fingers and checked it over.

"This is it!" She declared in excitement as she gave her brother-figure a quick hug before she proceeded to the still opened door. She emitted a fantastic emotion of bright excitement before she took off outside, quickly calling back to her father – "I'm going over to Trish's house, but I'll be back for dinner" – and disappearing quickly down the sidewalk.

"Trish?" Teddy asked Harry, both bewildered by the hasty exit.

"Ah," Harry started, "James's girlfriend, Patricia Freeman. A Ravenclaw."

"Oh? And why's Lily going there?"

"Because that's where they go, apparently." Harry said in a resigned fashion. "They've been hanging out at her house most of the summer. Well, it's a better lifestyle than what I had growing up."

Teddy snorted, as his orange hair turned to a shade of lavender and grew several inches. "Ha… you and me both."

******

When Lily finally arrived at her destination, James was already pouring over the latest calculations arranged by his girlfriend on the monitor in front of her, while Albus leaned against the nearby wall in silence. The girl in question was nothing striking in appearance, but the brains of their group, with very plain features, a soft expression, and dark hair. She was a Muggle born, but much like her Aunt Hermione, as she was gifted in magic. However, before all that, she was educated in the use of computers and most applications from an even earlier age – leading to a profound ability in both skill sets.

At first pretty daunted with the Muggle computing ways, the three of them learned to adapt to them pretty quickly after being around those knowledgeable. At Hogwarts, where electronic devices didn't work properly, it was impossible to learn more than just the theory (and a rough theory at that!), so use was all but impossible. But for those that had grown around them, their importance was something that was very significant after all. Even though the wide reception of these devices was awkward at best, part of it was on par with magic in how it bent concepts and returned working models so quickly. Furthermore, Trish's website was her primary means of making money so she could function so well within the magical world.

However, the most important part of it all was all of their understanding into the worlds of both magic and science. Already the comparison between things was more than just outwardly confusing… it was altogether brilliant! It was amazing what she (Trish) and James had accomplished so far – already on the level of magic of greater wizards. What's more, there were many among Muggles whom they interacted with across the globe that supplied reasonable theories to what they thought was a game or for fun, not knowing that their fellows were actual magic users. It was pretty amusing.

Today it seemed as though their focus was on the Hallows… or at least the magic behind them. Trish was already determined to replicate them, by applying aspects of the magical world with that of science. Unfortunately, to do so required a lot of gold, and to raise it on their own was already difficult. The only good thing was that they had father's cloak as a tangible sample. They didn't dare venture near the white marble tomb itself, and to search for the stone was pointless, as their father wouldn't speak of it. It wasn't as though they really needed to use something like that anyways.

"Ah," Trish stated as she noticed Lily from the corner of her eye, "Lily, so glad you could make it. What's the word?"

"This." Lily said with hushed excitement as she brandished the electronic storage device in her hands. "Teddy just brought it from Victoire!"

"What? Really?" Asked Patricia as she reached out to collect the device. "The samples I asked for then?"

"You should say so more quickly when you have something important!" James admonished in fun. He ruffed his sister's hair affectionately before turning his attention back to the prize at hand. Albus meanwhile said nothing at all, merely removing himself from the wall as he came forward. He placed a hand on his sister's shoulder and gave her a nod. His brilliant green eyes shone as bright as ever.

With somewhat nervous anticipation the Potter siblings waited from their friend to work her Muggle 'magic' with the computer.

"Ah" said Patricia as the data came up on the screen. It seemed to run through a long list of numbers and corresponding names with symbols and runes popped up as well, as though a decryption program was running along with it. It ran for a few moments, and then beeped loudly. She exhaled with a tired breath.

"What is it?" Asked James quickly. That was not a happy sound she made just now.

"That…" she pointed to the screen in an exasperated fashion, "is a long, long profiling. It must have driven your cousin's friend mad, plotting all that."

"So what does it mean? Another dead end?"

"No, apparently not this time." Patricia stated wearily. "Just that the frequency for duplicated invisibility is long. It isn't a form of magic an underage wizard can perform… at least without proper instruction and time drawn practice. But then, not many wizards can decode magic with Muggle logic."

Lily stepped back as the numbers and symbols continued to swim in her eyes. It was dizzying to look at. Yet it was simply amazing at the same time.

It was back in her second year that she first heard Trish's theory linking the forms of magic, Wizards, wands, frequency, and resonance between them all. Coming off much like a nutter at first, she explained that magic isn't at all just an unexplainable ability, and that it follows a strict set of rules. Wands are the tools that refine a wizard's unique frequency of magical energy into a common trigger. As all wizards are different, they must use specific wands that resonate correctly with them as to bring their magical ability into a similar level of performance. As for the language used to initiate spells, they were merely patterns of frequencies that triggered specific corresponding magical energies.

It was a very fascinating argument, one that she has since proven to be a concrete reality, by using various means to induce things that should never have happened. It got quite a few of them nearly expelled in the following year… but that was another story entirely.

Right now, they were trying to use frequency defined by science as the key to performing new – or perhaps old – forms of powerful spells and magical enchantments. Getting frequencies was only the first step. Refining them, decoding them, and everything else was the next step. Taking the first image of magical energy and transcribing it on a new procedure. It was the purpose of their group to get to the next step at all times. It was about them finding the next image that would take them further into an unknown future.

"Well… this will certainly take a while." Patricia stated, breaking Lily from the memory. "There's no need for you lot to hang around for any length of time."

"Speaking of time," started Albus, speaking at last, "it's almost time to return to Hogwarts. What are we going to do about all this? We can't very well cart it into the castle!"

"And why not?" Asked James with an air of defiance. "We found the perfect place for our research to continue at the end of last year. It's much better than the Shrieking Shack that we used before. It can definitely squeeze all of Next into it. Although it might need a change of décor."

"You can't be—you don't mean – there!?" Lily shrieked in fearful surprise. "How can you think it… that place – nothing good can come from that place."

"Well… I think we were good things that came from there." Stated Albus pensively. "After all, our parents had their first adventure there."

"They almost died though…" said James with apprehension. "Of course, we wouldn't have known all that if ol' Uncle Ron wasn't beside himself on firewhiskey. That was a pretty awful noise he was making…" James smiled broad. "Who would have ever guessed that such a noise would be a ticket to our future?

"Anyways you lot," James said while waving off his two siblings, "you start on home. I just… want to chat a bit with Trish here."

"Have fun snogging her," Lily said rolling her eyes. "We'll tell Mom to keep your dinner warm."

Albus turned around and gave them a nod before returning to the side of his sister as she strolled away. He had sensed the atmosphere heading in that direct before, and was more than thankful to make a retreat.

"I can't believe them…" Lily started in, "to honestly think of using such a place! What would our parents say… what would the school board think? We'd be expelled for sure!" She fumed indignantly.

"I don't know, I don't think it would be as bad as you think." Albus tried to reassuring his sister. "As for what Dad would say: 'there's nothing to fear in a memory.' That's what I think as well. After all, if we used it for good intentions, then it would change its history."

"That's true. Well…" she huffed, "I can't wait until we tell the others. Imagine their faces!"

"Well, in a few days we'll be seeing their faces… so I imagine that the reality of the moment can't be that far away."

"Haha," she laughed, "that's true enough. I wonder if we'll win the House Cup this year."

"Who knows…?" Albus stated dismally. "I just hope I can get through the year without James dragging us into another mess. Is a year of peace too much to ask?"

Lily laughed as she though of the plight of her brother and couldn't help but wonder about these peaceful days when she had heard nothing but the times of the dark years when she had first become a student. She was glad that such years had nothing to do with her.

Right now, her only worries were what was waiting for her at the end of the next year. She wasn't ready for O.W.L.s yet. Oh well. She'd cross that bridge when she got to it.

For now it was more than enough to wonder what their mother had cooked for them tonight.

*****

Elsewhere along a long row of houses, a wizard in a traveling cloak apparently drunk, meandered along, getting looks of scorn and contempt from those he nearly brushed against as he moved his way along. Every so often he would pause, rearrange himself, and then stumble on again. Although it was yet to be twilight, he simply proceeded along as though well saturated with the drink.

Eager to advert their eyes, many of the patrons and passerbys did not think to look twice at him, and let him amongst themselves almost unnoticed. Unnoticed and uncared for, he kept on going, until he worked his way into one of the nearest taverns, choosing to fall to the ground just on the inside of the inner door, between the doors.

A whisper, an incantation and then the man was gone. He had fallen, dropped through the underneath to a section of the pub that was closed to all but those who knew the way inside. Now, he was no longer walking so aimless, but with intent and purpose, as he moved past others without care, who did nothing but keep to themselves.

Without word, without speech, he continued through a large wooden wall, like that of the magical barrier separating the train platform from the real one. On the other side, he was in a room held by one large table, and many of the patrons looked up at his entrance. All were shabby looking men without care for themselves. However, one spoke immediately, and all turned to hear the reply.

"News from the outside?"

With out sound of even a grunt, the man produced a large package from out of nowhere, and slammed it to the table, overturning glasses and scattering plates. He smiled, then ripped away the amount covering his possession… that of a large book with a worn cover. On the most legible part the word 'Dark' could be seen clearly.

The man at the table smiled.

"Excellent. Then," he spread out his arms to the side, as though to embraced those beside him "let us begin."


End file.
